I was up early the morning of Friday, Feb. 23. My housing selection time was not until noon, but my friends and I had been hoping for a suite since the previous semester.
Awaiting word from my friend with the earliest time slot, I received a distressing text: there were no more six-person suites available.
Not a problem; We went to plan B. Four of us happen to be in a band, so my friend tried to get a four-person room for us, and nothing happened. There were plenty of rooms available, but they could not select us as roommates. They contacted Community Living, thinking this all must be down to some sort of system bug.
While awaiting a response, I checked the email with my selection time to see if there was anything we might have done incorrectly. It was only then that I noticed the words in small print and parenthesis next to the available spots: female and male.
I am a transgender woman. I am out to everyone in my life, but most importantly I am out to everyone at Keene State. My teachers and friends know my preferred name and pronouns, and before my first semester, I requested a name change in the system so that my email address would reflect that.
However, I am still in the system as male and co-ed options were quite limited in groups under six people, meaning that I can only apply for housing with roommates who share my assigned sex.
If this issue only affected me, I would simply contact Community Living and make an appeal to hopefully amend my situation. I know, however, I am not the only person whose housing options are limited.
Keene State College has significant LGBTQ+ representation in the student body, and many of us are transgender and gender diverse. I have heard from my transmasculine friends they had no option but to room with people who are assigned female at birth, and while I and they might be able to grin and bear it, this cannot stand.
Additionally, there was a time when fraternity and sorority housing was paid for by Keene State, but now the fraternity houses are paid for by their own organizations, and sorority members have to take suites in residence halls such as Butler Court. I know at least within my own department, this past year’s first-year class was quite sizable and more people seek college education across the country. Why, then, are on-campus housing options being reduced?
At the end of the day, this is an issue of safety and comfort. I feel immensely uncomfortable and dysphoric being made to room with men. Luckily, I have friends that I can room with, but that is not everyone’s case. Queer students are put at risk when they are not allowed to live with people who they feel comfortable living with. As with many issues,helping out the minority helps the majority. This is the 21st century. We, as adults, should be given choice over who we decide to select as roommates.
At the very least, the fact that certain dormitories are not co-ed should be advertised widely to students before they make their choices in roommates. Then, supplementary plans can be made with that in mind. In conclusion, what really needs to happen is gender segregated dormitories becoming a thing of the past.
May Cassidy can be contacted at May.Cassidy@keene.edu
